Brachyscome plant named ‘Cherish’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Brachyscome  plant named ‘Cherish’, characterized by its compact, low spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; durable dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large inflorescences positioned above the foliage; broad and bright red purple-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Brachyscome angustifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘CHERISH’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofBrachyscome plant, botanically known as Brachyscome angustifolia andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Cherish’.

The new Brachyscome plant is a product of a controlled breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new compact Brachyscomeplants with numerous large inflorescences and strong durable foliage.

The new Brachyscome plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia, of a proprietaryselection of Brachyscome angustifolia identified as code name OB05506,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Brachyscome angustifolia identified as code name OB04547,not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Brachyscome plantwas discovered and selected by the Inventor in August, 2007 as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollinationin a controlled environment in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new Brachyscome plant by stem cuttings in acontrolled environment in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia sinceDecember, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this newBrachyscome plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Brachyscome have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Cherish’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Cherish’ as a new and distinct Brachyscomeplant:

-   -   1. Compact, low spreading and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Durable dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large inflorescences positioned above the foliage.    -   6. Broad and bright red purple-colored ray florets.    -   7. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Brachyscome differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachyscome are not as vigorous as plants        of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Brachyscome are more mounding than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Brachyscome and the female parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent        selection have slightly darker red purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Brachyscome differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachyscome are more vigorous than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Brachyscome are taller than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Brachyscome have larger inflorescences than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   4. Plants of the new Brachyscome and the male parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent        selection have darker red purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Brachyscome can also be compared to plants of theBrachyscome angustifolia ‘Magenta Magic’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 22,225. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Cranbourne,Victoria, Australia, plants of the new Brachyscome differed from plantsof ‘Magenta Magic’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachyscome had shorter lateral branches        and internodes than plants of ‘Magenta Magic’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Brachyscome and ‘Magenta Magic’        differed in leaf shape.    -   3. Plants of the new Brachyscome and ‘Magenta Magic’ differed in        ray floret color as plants of ‘Magenta Magic’ had bright        purple-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Brachyscome plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Brachyscome plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Cherish’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Cherish’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the fall and winter in 15-cmcontainers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Cranbourne, Victoria,Australia and under commercial practice with day temperatures rangingfrom 12° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranging from 4° C. to 20° C.and light levels ranging from 5,000 lux to 9,000 foot candles. Plantswere pinched twice and were six months old when the description wastaken and one year old when the photographs were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Brachyscome angustifolia ‘Cherish’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Brachyscome angustifolia identified as code name OB05506,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Brachyscome angustifolia identified as code name OB04547,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 13 to 23 days at            temperatures of 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 to 31 days at            temperatures of 15° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 to 30            days at temperatures of 16° C. to 39° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 25 to 45            days at temperatures of 10° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Thin, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; moderately            dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, low spreading and            mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit;            freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches            developing after pinching.        -   Plant height.—About 15 cm to 25 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 25 cm to 60 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 5 cm to 8 cm. Diameter:            About 1 mm to 2 mm. Internode length: About 4 mm to 13 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; brittle when bent. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous; occasionally, sparsely bristled. Color:            When developing, close to 59A to 59B; with development,            close to 137A to 137B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2.8 cm to 7.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 8 mm to 26 mm.        -   Shape.—Flaring into two or three lobes.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Amplexicaul.        -   Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate to flat; slightly            recurved.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,            close to 139A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137C; venation, close to 137A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence appearance and flowering habit.—Single-type            composite inflorescences with ray and disc florets;            inflorescences terminal and borne above the foliar plane;            freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences            developing per plant during the flowering period.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about four            to eight weeks after planting and flower continuously from            spring through autumn in Australia.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two to            four weeks on the plant; inflorescences not persistent.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 137D occasionally            tinged with close to 59A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 7 mm to 9 mm. Diameter:            About 2.8 cm to 3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 6 mm to 9 mm.            Receptacle height: About 2 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 3            mm to 5 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 13 to 23 in two            whorls. Length: About 9 mm to 13 mm. Width: About 2 mm to            3 mm. Shape: Narrowly obovate. Apex: Bluntly acute or            slightly emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 64A. Fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 74A; color becoming closer            to 78A with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 74C; color becoming closer to 74D with development.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: About 50 massed at center of            receptacle. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:            Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous; satiny. Color, immature: Close to 151A. Color,            mature: Close to 9A.        -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About 18 to 24            arranged in a single whorl; bracts imbricate. Length: About            2 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Shape: Oblong; keeled and            concave. Apex: Bluntly acute or emarginate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper surface: Slightly glandular and sparsely            bristled. Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.2 cm to 8.7 cm. Diameter: About            1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 137A to 137B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Present on disc florets only.            Androecium: Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color:            Close to 155D. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape:            Oblong to lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 163C and 167D.            Pollen amount: Scarce and yellowish. Gynoecium: Stigma            shape: Bi-lobed. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color:            Close to 155D.        -   Seeds.—Seed set is nil to scarce on plants of the new            Brachyscome. Quantity per inflorescence: None to about            three. Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Brachyscome have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Brachyscome plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Brachyscome have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about −3° C. to about 47° C.

1. A new and distinct Brachyscome plant named ‘Cherish’ as illustratedand described.